


Merry Christmas

by orphan_account



Category: Half Life Trilogy - Sally Green
Genre: Alcohol, Christmas fic, Dancing, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 07:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5530442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a quick drabble to celebrate Christmas :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Merry Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> this was never edited nor beta-ed so bear with me

“Nathan, please—“

“No.”

“Nathan—“

“ _No_ , Arran. I’m not spending more time than I have to near those fuckers.”

“It’s Christmas Eve! A full moon, at that.”

“So?”

“Doesn’t the full moon give you extra strength or something? Why waste it just sitting there, like you always do?”

“Who said I was going to stay here all night? I have things to do.”

“Killing Hunters? They’ll all be at home with their families.”

“D’you really think Soul would let them off duty for a fucking _holiday_?”

“Yes! And you should be off-duty for once too!”

“No.”

“Gabriel will be there. So will I. You’ll be alone out here.”

“…fine.”

 

The minute Nesbitt whipped out a jug of eggnog, Nathan knew that coming to the camp for Christmas Eve was a dreadful mistake. He had been about to leave when Gabriel gave him the most pleading look he had ever seen, and fuck him if he was to ignore those gold-flecked, damned _beautiful_ eyes. Even more brilliant in the potent glow of the moon. Arran had been right about it—the Black Witches and Half Blacks seemed immortal around the fire. Nesbitt laughing breathlessly as he took Greatorex out to dance; Van tossing potion after potion into the fire, making it grow and diminish, change color, change shape; Gabriel not sitting for hours and hours and hours and for once, tension left the Alliance. For one night, these Witches were okay.

Gabriel had tried every method possible to get Nathan up and dancing with him. He had bowed and asked nicely. Nathan bluntly refused. He had tried tugging him off the log. Nathan shocked him a little. He had silenced everyone and publicly asked Nathan to dance with him. Nathan turned beet-red and pulled his turtleneck up to cover his face, while Arran laughed. Nothing worked.

The night wore on, and the jug had passed through everyone at least five times (except Nathan; “ _Someone_ has to stay sober and fight back when the Hunters attack.”). It was somewhere around three in the morning when Greatorex thought it was high time everyone went to sleep and ordered them all to their tents, saying she’ll keep watch for the rest of the night. Nathan bid Arran farewell and was walking back to his separate camp with Gabriel. They were holding hands— _to not lose him in the darkness_ , Nathan told himself—and Gabriel kept giggling sporadically. Even though Nathan knew it was from intoxication, he decided to humor himself. “What’s so funny?”

Gabriel smiled, his cheeks rosy from the cold. “You. Always.”

“Eloquent as usual.”

“See? That was funny.” He giggled again.

“And you said _I_ was the lightweight.”

“You are. That’s why you didn’t drink tonight.”

“And why I will avoid drinking at all costs. Or else I’ll look as much like a fool as you do right now.” Nathan rolled his eyes, even if he knew Gabriel wouldn’t see.

“You don’t mean that,” Gabriel said.

“Of course I don’t.”

There was a small period of silence as they trudged through the woods. Then Gabriel said, “Would you like to dance?”

Nathan almost laughed at that. “We already left the party. There’s no music. And to top it all off, you’re drunk. So no.”

Gabriel squeezed his hand. “ _Pleeeeeaaase_ , Nathan. Do this one thing for me.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“You do like that word, don’t you?”

“Watch out for that root,” Nathan warned.

“So, so negative.” Gabriel giggled and shook his head.

“I try my best.”

“Dance with me?”

“No.”

Gabriel groaned. “Why not?”

“It’s dark, we’ll trip on something.”

“No we won’t,” Gabriel reasoned. “We’ll be dancing with nature. It won’t allow us to trip.”

Nathan turned and stared at him blankly. “Did you just hear what came out of your mouth?”

“Nope.” Gabriel grinned. “Too drunk for that shit.”

“Ah, so you have admitted your problem.”

“Dance with me already.”

Nathan was quiet, and he realized too late that he was actually _considering_ it. Someone may have put alcohol in his drink after all. “Will it make you shut up?” he said slowly.

Gabriel widened his eyes in disbelief, and then nodded vigorously. Nathan sighed and raised their held hands. He could feel the uncomfortable warmth in his cheeks. “You lead, cause I don’t know shit about dancing.”

Gabriel finally smiled and put his hand on Nathan’s waist. It was warm. “I know the basics. Just put your other hand on my shoulder and slowly step from side to side.” Nathan did as he was told, and they swayed together for a while, Nathan looking anywhere except those _damn brown eyes_ staring _right at him, for God’s sake._ He could see Gabriel smiling softly in his peripheral vision. Then he leaned in and Nathan could feel his breath on his cheek as he said quietly, “Merry Christmas.”

And quieter still, barely a whisper, “I love you.”

Nathan only grunted in reply, but some part of his mind whispered it back.


End file.
